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Friday, August 31, 2012

Star Guest Interview

Raymond E Feist

Yes, you read that right!To continue the momentum of what has been a fantastic Release Day for Guardian Angels, and to start September off with a "bang", I am absolutely delighted to welcome none other than - Raymond E Feist - to my first ever blog interview.To say I feel awestruck - would be an understatement...

(Copyright by Raymond E Feist. Used with kind permission)

Interview

Hello everyone.

Today, I have the great privilege
of introducing someone very special to you. Someone I personally have enjoyed
reading for over 20 years now. It’s none other than the master of magical
stories himself, Raymond E Feist.

Raymond, thank you so much for
taking the time out from your busy schedule to be with us.

Tell
us a bit about yourself, perhaps something that isn’t already included within
your bio.Just who is Raymond E Feist?

Self defining is always tricky,
for you can be accused of anything from being overly modest to self
aggrandizing.I'm a guy who does many
things, including writing for a living. I've spent most of my life in Southern
California, though I have resided for periods of time in coastal Massachusetts,
south-east Pennsylvania, and western New York State.I've done the requisite number of odd career
things before becoming a writer, have done the many stupid things in the name
of love bit, married, divorced, fathered two amazing kids, and live a life of
self-indulgence as much as possible.I'm
currently flaying away on the last book of my Chaoswar series, and have plans
to do lots of other fun stuff before I'm stopped by age or circumstances.

Who
or what inspired you to begin writing?

It started just as a giggle, just
to see if I could, and people who read my stuff said, "This is good.Try to get something published."So I stopped the silly stuff and wrote Magician.

Raymond,
you are best known for a number of internationally acclaimed works. “Magician”
the first book in what became the Riftwar Saga started it all off some 25 years
ago! Since then, we’ve been able to enjoy: The Empire Trilogy, Krondors Sons,
The Serpentwar Saga, The Riftwar Legacy, Legends of the Riftwar, Conclave of
the Shadows Series, The Darkwar Saga, the Demonwar Saga, and finally – we’re on
to the Chaoswar Saga. That’s a massive accomplishment of almost 30 books from
one concept alone. Tell us, do you have a particular favorite, from this or
another series or one story that stands out from the rest that you really
enjoyed working on?

They're all fun and pains in the
ass at the same time.Writing can be
hilarious, both for getting what you want and not getting what you want and
starting over.It's the best job I've
ever had.But it can also be seriously
brain draining work.It takes a lot of
concentration and discipline and a willingness to stay at home and not go do
fun stuff other people want you to do.But books are like kids; you love them for different reasons.Faerie Tale is special because it's on-off,
nothing to do with anything else.Darkness was special, because it allowed me to set the stage for the
really big stuff that has been happening through the next twenty-seven books.Magician's End, the one I'm working on now,
is great because I'm at last pulling everything together.

Your
fans are eagerly expecting what they feel might be the final chapter to a huge
story, “Magicians End”. Can you share anything about it yet?

Just some generalities, as I
don't want to spoil anything.When I
began A Darkness at Sethanon, I realized this might turn into some sort of
on-going project, which meant eventually there would be a last book.So while writing the twenty-six books in
between I began building in a "backstory," predicated on things that I
knew about Midekemia and how it worked.I was always faced with one profound question: why this place?Why is all this seriously, nasty, over the
top, cosmic crap hitting this one little world?Magician's End allows me to explain exactly why that is, as well as why
certain characters are long lived, others are not, why the smallest acts of
heroism may have massive unexpected consequences, and why it all (I vehemently
hope) makes sense.

What
made you choose that title? And, where did the idea for this specific story
come from? (Did you know the end from the beginning? Or has it developed as the
story evolved?)

In general I knew how it was
going to end.That was never the
problem. As for why that particular title, that I'll save for those who read
the book.When they finish, it'll make
sense.

Please
share a particular detail about one of characters.

Occasionally you have a situation
where a major character isn't needed or is even the wrong person for the
job.I have one in Magician's End, by
name Knight-Marshall Geoffrey du Gale.He's a bit like Admiral Vykor in Rage of a Demon King,a character asked to carry a portion of
narrative not seen by a major point-of-view character.The difficulty with this type of character is
you can't pause the action and say, "But first, let me tell you a little
about this guy, he was a pleasant child who . . . . "You have to hit the ground running in the middle
of an action sequence and try to blend in what bits you can along the way that
make him seem dimensional.For example:
I had the need for a metaphor, but one that would be jarring, when I likened a
column of soldiers being drawn into a killing zone as being like feeding a tree
branch into a wood chipper.So I
improvised that this guy had grown up the son of a tree harvester and they had
a horse powered wood chipper/pulper for making pulp for paper and etc.That serves two points, it gets the reader a
non-jarring metaphor and gives a tiny slice of background to the
character.This is the sort of things that
delights writers and should, we hope, make a minor character jump off the page
as a real person.

What
was the most difficult to thing/scene to write in this story?

No one thing stands out, save
that in deeply emotional scenes, especially either love or loss, it's easy to
become mawkish if you're not careful.There's a line between true emotional consequences of dramatic choices
and manipulating the reader through melodrama.But I've been doing this for thirty three years, so I have some practice
with it.

Do you
have anything new in the works and can you tell us a bit about it?

Nothing definitive, save we're
looking at a new series, three or four books, set in a different universe with
different issues.Someone asked me at
Comicon what it would be like, and being the smartass I am I said, "It's
like Game of Thrones with show tunes!"Which actually is sort of a Neil Gainman type answer, isn't it?

Including
your short stories, and other titles like, “Faerie Tale”, how many books have
you written now?

Magician's End will be my 31st
novel.I have no single author
anthologies, but my stories have appeared in, let me think, six or seven other
anthologies.

You
are a prolific writer. What do you think it is that makes your books stand out
from others in today’s competitive market?How do you keep them fresh?

I just keep telling stories that
amuse the hell out of me.If I tried to
do anything else I think my readers would desert in droves.If I'm not entertained, how can they be?So, keeping fresh?Just keep surprising myself.

What
advice would you give to an unpublished writer?

Just keep writing.There's no magic here.Writing is the only art form lots of people
have some familiarity with.Ifyou've never painted, or sculpted, or danced,
or sang, or played an instrument, you've written an essay in school or a letter
to mum, or scrawled in a journal, so you think you can just sit down and write
that novel.Wrong.Writing is like playing the piano.If you want to play well, you practice. If you want to play Chopin, you practice a
lot.If you want to play Chopin in
Carnegie Hall and be paid for it, you practice hard for years.

Let’s
get personal.

What’s
your favorite thing to do?

Don't have one thing.Lots of things I like to do depending on
circumstances and company.

What
topics do you enjoy reading about?

History, biography, politics, and
sports.

Do
you have a special writing method?

Lots of coffee, then write.

Is
writing your only talent?

The only one I get paid for.I play guitar badly.Sing ever worse.Used to be able to dance a bit.Can still tell a joke most of the time.

Where
do you hail from and what do you love most about your hometown?

Born in L.A.What I love most about it is not living in it
any more.It's 4x the size it was when I
left.Too crowded!

As
a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Never could answer that, which is
probably why I ended up being a writer.

Is
there anything you find particularly challenging about writing?

Not anymore.33 years of practice and all that.

One
writing vice that continually haunts you?/And the cure!

Finding excuses not to write./ The
need to pay bills.

Do
you ever suffer from writer's block? If so, what do you do about it?

I don't believe in writer's block.It's self-inflicted drama.If you can't write I believe your
sub-conscience is telling you there's something else you need to do first, and
sitting in front of the keyboard will not make it go away.It may be clean out the garage, fix a bad marriage,
quit a horrible job, reach out to an estranged family member, go see a doctor
about a health issue, whatever it is, but once you identify and deal with that
high need, then the writing will come.

Who
is your favorite author and why?

Shakespeare.Because we're still paying money to read him
and watch his plays 400 years after his death.Talk about a long lived back list.He did it all.Given the
circumstances of his environment and education, his insight into the human mind
and heart is staggering.The best ever.

How
did you deal with rejection letters?

Throw them away and send it
somewhere else.And, honestly, I've only
gotten two in my life.The third
publisher to see Magician bought it, and from that point on, I don't get rejection
letters. One of the advantages of being on every bestseller list there is.

What's
the weirdest thing you've ever done in the name of research?

It's a tie: gone to the San Diego
Police Department Forensic Science Laboratory Division (their CSI) and watched
them work a murder scene.Gone to
several strip clubs to interview dancers on their personal histories and how
they got into the business.Both were
for projects that never sold, but the research was fascinating.

Do
you have any must-haves while you are writing?

Every morning, a pot of coffee,
which I usually nurse into the early afternoon.Some afternoons, a double scotch on the rocks if I'm plowing into the
evening.

What
is one novel/book that you would recommend?

Right now?Will In The World: How Shakespeare Became
Shakespeare by Stephen Greenblatt.

Can
you tell us something quirky about yourself that readers might not know already?

I love football.All kinds. My first passion is the San Diego
Chargers, and I've been a season ticket holder for more than 15 years.But I love watching soccer (Wolverhampton and
Everton), rugby (Ospreys, All Black, and St. George-Illiwara), US7s, AFL
(Sydney, West Coast), and anything else where a bunch of drunks are screaming
at the top of their lungs as a group of hooligans are battling it out over a
ball on the field.

What
do you think makes a good story?

No one size fits all.Every story must do well what it set out to
do.

Is
there a genre that you’d like to write that you haven’t tackled yet?

Western and Science Fiction.

What
place to travel is on your Bucket List?

Tahitti and the Bahamas.

AND

It’s
5 o’clock somewhere and we’re having a drink! What’s in your glass?

If it's 5 o'clock somewhere, I'll
have a double Glennfiddich on the rocks.

Quickfire
Round

Favorite
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Series on TV?

Stargate because they kept it
going longer than I ever thought they could.

If
you could chose to be one of the characters…who & why?

Jackson, because he freakin'
knows everything.

Ideal
holiday?

4th of July.Love the beach, BBQ, and fireworks.

Wine
or beer?

Yes.(Only the good stuff)

Cake
or fruit?

Cake on cereal?Fruit with a candle on it?I don't think so.

Bourne
or Bond?

I'll take the Bond royalties,
please.

Alien
or Predator?

Predators--they've got more
weapons.

When
writing…silence or music?

Silence.

Ten
Best American Movies Ever?

Godfather

Citizen Kane

North by Northwest

The Searchers

Singing in the Rain

Some Like It Hot

Casablanca

Lawrence of Arabia

Wizard of Oz

Star Wars

Raymond,
thank you so much for sparing the time to be with us today. It has not only
been a great privilege for me as a new author, but great fun too, and I’m sure the readers will love
the way your sense of humor has come across. Is there anything you would
specifically like me to mention/highlight?

News of whatever it is I'm up to:

Good luck, Andy

Best, R.E.F.

For more details on Raymond E Feist, his books and/or latest works - go to:

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Phantom - Laura De Luca

Book Review

Note:

Previous Cover - Revised Cover to be Released Soon

So - what's a sci-fi/fantasy addict doing reading a High School romantic thriller?Having fun! That's what!I'm fortunate enough to have actually seen "Phantom of the Opera" about 5 years ago in London's West End. So, I was intrigued to find out what this - a romance/thriller set in the final year of a group of students at High School was about.When her high school drama club chooses "Phantom" as their annual production, quiet, clumsy, shy and retiring Rebecca Hope is forced to come out her shell and is amazed to land the lead female role of Christine.Her success leads to a love triangle between Tom, the High School heart-throb who lands the role of Roul, and the dark and mysterious loner, Lord Justyn Patko, who wins the coveted role of Erik, the Phantom.That isn't the only pressure she has to face however, as initial joy quickly turns fear when events chillingly begin to follow a pattern mirrored in "Phantom" itself. Threats, warnings, accidents, murder!Who is responsible? Who is stalking Rebecca? Is it one of the two new men in her life, jelous of the others attentions on their intended lover?Find out - read "Phantom" for yourself. It's easy to read, has a great pace, has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing - AND - you'll enjoy the deeper message the story conveys...I know I did!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Guest Spot On Melissa Keir's Blog!

Today I'm having Andrew Weston by to visit. I really enjoyed his interview questions and am lucky to count Andrew as a friend. He is a guy who lives the life of a romance hero every day in Greece! So pull up a chair and get to know this sizzling man!

Thank you Andrew for stopping by. Please tell my readers a little about your life. I was born in the city of Birmingham, in the UK and grew up in the towns of Bearwood and Edgbaston, eventually attending Holly Lodge Grammar School for Boy’s where I was School Captain and Head Boy.I always loved team events and was an active sportsperson for my school, college and a variety of rugby, martial art, swimming and athletics teams throughout the city.On graduation in 1977 I joined the Royal Marines and served in a number of roles both in the UK and abroad.In 1985 I became a police officer with the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary, and fulfilled a variety of uniformed and plain clothed duties until my early retirement in 2008.Over those years, I wrote and illustrated a selection of private books for my children regarding the life of a tiny kitten, called, “The Adventures of Willy Whiskers”. I also gained further qualifications in Law and Religious Studies, was an active member of Mensa and continued to be an active sportsperson, providing lessons free of charge to local communities.An unfortunate accident received on duty meant I had to retire early from the police force, but after moving to the sunny Greek island of Kos to speed up my recuperation, I was at last able to devote time to the “Guardian Concept” I had developed over my years in the military and police.When not writing, I enjoy the many power cuts we get here in Greece, Greek dancing and language lessons, and being told what to do by my wife, Annette. I also have the uncanny ability to hunt shadows in the dark. To date, I’ve managed to catch three – but let them go on each occasion as it was too scary!See ladies, don't you agree? He's living a romance hero's life!What television sitcom is most like your family? Why?Married with children. Why? I’d get strung up if I told you. :) Please use your imagination. Ha ha.What’s your favorite thing to do to relax?It’s a combination of several factors, depending on my mood. Running, swimming, reading and watching a good film are top of the list –although I find them difficult to do at the same time. If you could go back in time to when you were seven years old, what wisdom or advice would you pass on to yourself?Matrix fan’s will appreciate this one. I’d say, “Take the red pill! For goodness sake, THE RED ONE!”

Seriously, though – looking back – I’d strongly advise myself to follow my heart instead of my head. It would have led me along an entirely different life course, and I often wonder where I’d be now if I’d chosen differently.For what are you grateful?My family – and the fortitude to handle whatever problems come my way.At what age were you the happiest? What triggered such joy? I’d have to say that would be when I was about six. My family was still alive and together. It always snowed at Christmas. Summers were still hot and sunny, and I was cocooned from the harsh reality of the world outside. There was still a magical quality to life then that I never forget. I’d love to get that back for everyone.What is the number one lie you tell yourself? How is that working out?That I’ll regain the full head of hair I had prior to my accident! Sadly, Mr Cueball still rules in the kingdom of Shine! :)Now about you as an author…What authors had an impact on you growing up and as an adult?Growing up: Arthur C Clarke – Isaac Asimov – Ray Bradbury – Nelle Harper Lee – C. S. Lewis.As an adult: Stephen R Donaldson – Julian May – Ursula Le Guinn – Raymond E Feist and Trudy Canavan.Did anyone in your life influence you or encouraged you to be a writer? (teacher, family member, friend)In my early years, not really. It wasn’t until after my accident and I was well enough to come home from hospital that my wife suggested I keep myself busy by putting all the thoughts and ideas I’d come up with over the years down in writing. So I did. And look at me now! What is your favorite aspect of writing? Your least favorite?My favorite aspect is seeing the polished end result! The fruition of months of work come together that people can enjoy.My least favorite aspect is having my routine messed with! The repeated power cuts we get here in Greece are very frustrating and I hate living here at times. (But plans are afoot)…What aspect of writing would you most like to improve on?Believe it or not, I’d like to improve my ability within the romance genre. Not because I want to be known as a writer of erotic/romance fiction per se, but because it’s a notoriously difficult genre to write well. If I can improve that aspect of my writing, it will enhance the quality of my work across the board when they touch on those themes.Do you have any “must haves” with you while you’re writing?Definitely. Strong – good quality coffee and silenceDo you have a common theme or item that appears in each of your books? Although I’m new, I’d like to think that different aspects of my dark and twisted humor appear in different ways in each story.What have you learned the most from being in the writing business?Be honest with those you work with, (Your publisher and editor, etc) and work with them. It’s so worth it!Tell us about your latest release:Blurb:A small boy runs in front of a truck.Miners trapped in the aftermath of a devastating underground explosion have no hope of escaping.A stricken passenger aircraft plunges thousands of feet towards the earth below.

Everyone survives!

Why?

Because they are among the first in a number of miraculous interventions around the globe which heralds to the world that, “Guardian Angels”, blessed with extraordinary powers and incredible technology, actually do exist!While society in general reacts with euphoria, not everyone ispleased!There are those in power and many within the criminal underworld, who seek to counter the threat they feel these newcomers represent.Early confrontations ensue, leaving many hungry for retribution. When it comes, their revenge is exacted at a terrible price in lives and suffering.

In turn, this creates a backlash that causes people to lose hope in their newfound friends, and which causes public opinion to change.Is the fairy tale over before it even begins?“Guardian Angels” is a powerful and compelling story about the catalyst that could at last, galvanize society to unite and look towards the future with hope.Sadly, it also reveals how fragile such a spark of hope could be.

Excerpt (unedited):

May had seen the truck coming from over thirty yards away to her right and decided to wait for it to pass before she began crossing. She glanced across the road opposite, and immediately noticed the young man with a shaven head on the other side of the street, (although most people were young to her), dressed in one of those black fleece jackets that were so popular these days.She noticed him, because after forty years of working with people, she was an excellent judge of bearing and character, and the man opposite, although appearing to be in his late thirties, perhaps his forties, seemed to radiate the confidence and authority of someone much older.Not only that, but even at her age, she could see that he had the most magnetic grey eyes she had ever seen. Eyes that briefly flicked over all those around him, herself included, instantly taking in a wealth of information. Eyes that frowned at the CCTV camera’s, positioned only thirty yards away, before focusing intently on someone or something just to her right.Puzzled, May glanced to her right, noticing almost immediately that the truck was drawing closer, and, somewhat startled by that same flock of pigeons that began flying into the air all around her, she looked more intently, and realized they were fleeing from a little boy who was so focused on the birds, he obviously wasn’t watching where he was going.He was running so fast, she knew in an instant that he would be unable to stop in time.She glanced at the truck, back at the boy, and behind him to a young woman, most likely the boy’s mother, who appeared terrified and was obviously shouting something to him. Oh dear, she thought, knowing with dreadful certainty what was about to happen.The last of the pigeons took to the air, just missing May’s face, and causing her to duck and look away, back across the street to the striking young man in the black fleece. In all her years of experience, she had never seen eyes that seemed to flash so brightly, as if they had an inner light, eyes that again flicked to her before one last glance at the CCTV cameras, causing him to grimace, almost as if in distaste at being forced to act in public.Then he did the strangest of things.

Instead of reacting, or beginning to react like the people around her to the accident about to happen, the man stepped forward into what she would describe was a fighting stance, with both hands raised, at the exact moment the little boy came to a frozen halt in the road in front of her. By now, the truck was almost upon the boy, only a foot away, and because of the shock, time seemed to slow down.May clearly saw the man’s left hand suddenly shoot out; his palm and fingers opened like a policeman directing traffic to stop. Incredibly, the truck slammed to an instantaneous stop, as if an invisible wall had been placed in front of it, causing the front end to crush in on itself, and the back end to lift from the pavement.With his other hand, the man made a sweeping motion, as if he were giving an imaginary opponent a back-handed slap to the face, and the little boy was swept away from the vehicle with inches to spare, flying past her at incredible speed.May found it hard to tear her eyes away from the man as his hands continued to move so fast, that even in slow motion, they became a blur. Because it was in front of her, she could see glass and other fragments from the truck fanning away from the point of impact, but instead of showering bystanders, including herself in debris, they seemed to pause momentarily in mid air before dropping vertically straight down onto the ground.The driver of the truck also seemed to be held in position, shock on his face, eyes tightly shut, despite the fact his vehicle was now so far up in the air it was almost on its nose, its contents spilling forward, remaining motionless for just a moment before beginning its descent.She was aware the young man was still gesturing, now reaching out with his right hand upturned, as if he were about to grasp a light bulb, and looking back towards the boy. She was amazed to see his flight through the air altered away from the hard concrete of the road, and into the raised flowerbeds outside the bookstore twenty yards away.As the child and vehicle came to rest, the man looked intently at them both in turn for a few moments, squinting as if he were reading small print, before nodding and giving a satisfied grin. People’s attention were still diverted, and so, without ceremony he glanced around once more, focused again on the CCTV cameras with a look of concentration on his face, and began to turn to walk away.May couldn’t help but think at the young man, Hang on. Youclearly did something to help and you’re just going to leave?Amazingly, the young man immediately checked his stride as if he had heard what she thought. He stopped, turned around and looked back at her smiling.

His thought came to her.One day the world will see how special that little boy is, May, what he’ll become. We can’t have him messing things up before he’s had a chance to shine, now can we?Then he turned again, and he was lost from sight in moments, leaving May quite unnerved, and looking wide-eyed at the mother of the young boy who now stood next to her. She didn’t seem to realize that May was there, and was staring in anger at the back of the young man’s receding jacket, before jumping as if startled into remembering where she was.Turning, the young lady shouted something and began fighting her way through the crowd toward her son, leaving a bemused May standing alone at the curb wondering what on earth to do.May was unnerved. What bothered her was the fact that the young man had heard what she’d thought; somehow, he even knew her name, and even though her hearing aid was switched off, she had heard him speak to her across a crowded street without moving his lips. How on earth had he managed that?I think I’d better go home, she thought, otherwise people will put me in a home if I start telling them I’ve seen a guardian angel.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~How did you decide on your story plot?That came together over many years. Because of my actual roles within the military and police, I’ve had to witness suffering and devestation first hand on many, many occasions. More than I care to remember in fact. I often used to wonder, “what would have happened if we had got here sooner? Or had the technology or capability to anticipate and prevent such tragedy striking in the first place?”“What would it be like to have a ‘global emergency response service’ who had the capacity to respond to such events with far more efficiency than that currently possessed? Who could actually ‘undo’ much of the suffering caused?”

So, I took the real life elements I’d witnessed and expanded them to incorporate the ideas I’d begun formulating. I added a structured training system and set of abilities – and the advanced technology needed – to bring the Guardians to life. Amazingly, when I then took the time to plan the full story out, I realized there was enough material to encompass two trilogies! It was a daunting prospect. Thankfully, it didn’t put me off.How did you choose your characters names and location for your story?It took a lot of research. The Guardians have watched mankind for millenia, waiting for the right time to intoduce themselves to a world desperately in need of guidance. In need of a unifying catalyst that will unite people, and help them reach out to the future with hope. So obviously, once they are revealed, what takes place happens within a “global” setting.

Without giving the game away, all I can say at this stage is…Part of the process for naming the characters was to identify beings from ancient myth and legend who might be attributed with “Guardian” characteristics. How would their names evolve over time? How might they be incorporated into a modern world? What aspects–if any–from myth and legend, might explain them to us now?

I’m sorry, I cant explain it more clearly at this stage. The reader will understand exactly what I mean once the book is released.Additionally, certain revelations are made as the series progresses, to help you gradually appreciate just how far back things may take you…(you’ll see).Do you have a favorite scene? Why?Yes. Again, it’s a little difficult to describe because the book is released later this month and I don’t want to give too much away. BUT–it involves the point where a little girl who has lost everything realises she’s safe after all! There is someone out there–“she can trust”. It was very satisfying to write and will hopefully bring a tear to your eye. :)Do you have a character that you identify with? Who and why?To be honest, I was careful to avoid putting too much of myself into any one character so that I could immediately identify with them. I wanted each one to be distinct and individual. However, I do have a favorite, as she is based on my wife and I think the readers will take to her too. Watch out for someone called “Yasin”…and you’ll get an idea of why she’s going to be fun.

Thank you Andrew for visiting with us today. I'm sure readers are going to enjoy your book, especially at a time like now when things happen without reason, it would be nice to know someone is watching out for mankind.Thank you for having me Melissa. Sorry I couldn’t answer some of the questions as fully as I’d have liked. (But Guardian Angels isn’t out until the end of August).I really enjoyed it–and some of the questions even made my brain hurt as I had to think. (Us guys are really good at that. Yes?) :)

19 Days - Until the world is a safer place

REMEMBER

Check This Out:

Not My Mother - A Memoir by Ashley Rae

(a fellow author at Pagan Writers Press)

Info:

By the age of twelve, Ashley Rae had survived incest, child abuse, and the deaths of both her biological parents. Born to Baptists but raised by Buddhists, Rae found peace and healing on a Pagan spiritual path while obtaining her college degree and starting the career of her dreams.

Rae thought the hardships in her life were over...until she lost her job, started a new relationship, and found out she was pregnant with another man's child all in the same week. Terrified of cesarean surgery, Rae vowed to give birth to her child at home – but first, she had to find one.

Alternately haunting, humorous, and heart-warming, Not My Mother: A Memoir follows Rae over a nine-month quest to break her family's generational pattern of abuse and victimhood in order to become for her unborn child the mother she had always wanted for herself.

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About Me

I am a Royal Marine and Police veteran from the UK who now lives on the beautiful Greek island of Kos with my wife, Annette, and our growing family of rescue cats.
As creator of the critically acclaimed IX Series, and Hell Bound & Hell Hounds, (novels forming part of Janet Morris' Heroes in Hell universe), I also have the privilege of being a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the British Fantasy Society, and the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers.
When not working, I devote some of my spare time to assisting NASA with one of their remote research projects, and supporting charities. I also write educational articles for Astronaut.com and Amazing Stories.
On weekends, you might also find me drinking Earl Grey Tea whilst dressed as Captain Jean Luc Picard.
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International #1 Bestseller

The IX

The IX, an epic novel spanning past, present, and future:The ultimatum:Fight or die.Roman legionnaires, far from home, lost in the mists of Caledonia; a US cavalry company on a special mission for Presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln; and a Special Forces unit from the 21st century, desperate to prevent nuclear catastrophe:Snatched away from Earth at the moment of death to a failing planet far away, these misfit soldiers must unite against a relentless foe, where the cost of victory may be more than they're willing to pay. How far will they go to stay alive?From Perseid Press.

Exordium of Tears

Book 2 of The IX Series

Exordium of Tears

Fight or die.That simple yet brutal reality is the tenet by which the refugees from Earth – including the fabled lost 9th Legion of Rome; the 5th Company, 2nd Mounted Cavalry Unit; and the Special Forces Anti-Terrorist Team – were forced to live by while the Horde menace existed. Believing that the threat is over, thesurvivors now yearn to settle down, start families, and reclaim the lives stolen from them.But such aspirations might remain beyond their reach, for a shadow looms on the rose-tinted horizon of new beginnings.The release of the re-genesis matrix has done much to foster a restoration of exuberance across Arden. Along with a resurgence in floral and faunal diversity comes the results of splicing the Ardenese and human genomes: transmutation. Ametamorphosis of stunning magnitude that not only affects the living, but those still is stasis as well.Recognizing the emergence of a new hybrid species, the Architect – the arcane AI construct tasked with the preservation of the Ardenese race – responds by unlockingpreviously hidden and inaccessible areas of the city. It also releases an archive of sealed state secrets. Such revelations are eagerly perused, whereupon a shocking discovery is made.Prior to the fall, it was common knowledge amongst the Senatum (the highest levels of Arden’s government) that not all the rabid Horde had joined in the rampage across the stars toward Arden.Realizing that the peril still exists, the newly reformed administration elects to respond in earnest. Existing resources are utilized, suitable candidates are chosen, and a flotilla of ships is sent out to secure, quarantine, and reclaim the outer colonies. A mammoth and hazardous undertaking. And nowhere more so than at the planet from where the outbreak was known to have originated – Exordium – for there, the ancient Horde are not only supremely evolved and highly organized, but are capable of a level of lethal sophistication, the likes of which has never been witnessed before.It is into this kiln of incendiary potential that the cream of Arden’s fighting forces is deployed.Worlds are torn asunder, suns destroyed, and star systems obliterated. Yes, tragedy is forged, in a universe spanning conflict which proves once again that…

Death is onlythe beginning of the adventure.

Prelude to Sorrow

The IX Series

Prelude to Sorrow

The task force dispatched from Arden to eradicate the Horde menace failed, and for those few left alive, the tenet by which they have survived for so long resounds as never before.

Fight or Die!

Now marooned, out of time and out of place, the survivors lick their wounds and struggle to recover while the Horde gather their strength for a final strike that will change the course of history forever. The fate of the galaxy – and more – hangs in the balance.

But fate, it seems, isn’t done with the Ninth, and our heroes find themselves forced to mount a last-ditch attempt to end the threat once and for all.

Will the darkness be vanquished, or will our heroes’ efforts finally signal the beginning of the end of their adventure?

The Glorious Ninth

Fight or Die!

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Welcome to the Fire Asylum. This is truly a safe place for what the world contends is insane behavior. The activities here are specifically designed with the firefighter in mind. Your training here, or treatment, may seem tough and challenging. Remember that it is for your own good. Here are a few words from our director of activities to inspire your stay.

"In our silent crucible, we are tested by fire. In that place where life can and does change forever, peace is given like a gift to the ones who have endured."

Hell Bound

International #1 Bestseller

Hell Bound

In hell, none of the condemned believes they deserve to be there. And that’s fine, so long as they’re not foolish enough to try and do anything about it. For those that do, there’s always Satan’s Reaper–and chief bounty hunter–Daemon Grim.Feared throughout the many layers of the underverse, no one in their right mind dares to cross him.However, when Grim discovers that someone has attempted to evade injustice, and seems hell-bent on gaining access to ancient angelic artifacts proscribed since the time of the original rebellion in heaven, circumstances point to the fact they may be doing just that.The question is...why?Thus begins an investigation that leads Grim throughout the many contradictory and baffling levels of the underworld, where he unearths a conspiracy that is not only eating its way like a cancer through the highest echelons of Hellion society,but one which threatens the very stability of Satan’s rule.

As you can imagine, Grim’s response is bloody, brutal, and despicably wicked.

Pieces of Hate******************It's sink or swim in this swashbuckling adventure where Daemon Grim, Satan's Reaper, is sent on a quest to recover booty of great value to His Infernal Majesty.But what lurks at the center of Skull Island? Is it truly treasure, or will there be fools gold aplenty in a tale that proves once and for all that, when it comes to burying something in your chest, blood money is the only currency the Reaper recognizes.

Hell Hounds

Coming October 31st

Hell Hounds

Feared throughout the many circles of the underworld, Satan’s Reaper – and chief bounty hunter – Daemon Grim, is known as a true force to be reckoned with.

Having eliminated a major player in the uprising eating its way like a cancer through the underbelly of hell, Grim is stunned to discover he cannot afford to rest on his laurels, for the rebellion runs far deeper than was ever imagined. New players have emerged – denizens with uncanny abilities – who seem determined to support Chopin and Tesla’s revolutionary agenda.

Ever keen to test their mettle, the Sibitti – personified weapons of the ancient Babylonian plague god, Erra – also appear eager to capitalize on the growing unrest, and set about maneuvering events in order to place themselves in direct opposition to Grim’s investigation.

And if that was not cause for concern enough, there’s an insane angel on the loose, a creature as hell-bent on creating havoc as he is to return home.

How do Grim and his rabid pack of bounty hunters respond?

Baying for blood – doesn’t even begin to describe it.

The Perseid Press

Black Gate Fantasy

Amazing Stories

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Other Works

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